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But race favorite Ivan Basso and Armstrong's Astana teammate Levi Leipheimer each finished 13 seconds behind after the bunch was split by a crash with five kilometers remaining.

It was an emotional win for the 35-year-old Petacchi, who was involved in a protracted legal battle after giving a positive test for the asthma drug Salbutamol in 2007, eventually being sacked by Team Milram.

The first stage over 156-kilometers saw the riders go from Venice Beach at Jesolo to Trieste where they completed several circuits of the city center before the bunch sprint.

Cavendish carries a 14-second lead over teammate Renshaw into Monday's third stage from Grado to Valdobbiadene over 198 kilometers.

It will be one last opportunity for the sprinters to claim stage victories before the three-week race hits its first batch of mountains.